The Matrix: Shinobi
by Forger
Summary: That you are a slave Naruto. A slave in a prison that you cannot smell or touch or taste. A prison for your mind. You cannot be told what the matrix is. Only you can see it for yourself
1. Program

**The Matrix: Shinobi**

**Chapter one: The Program**

**By Forger**

* * *

**11001011001001010111010100010101010010101001010100101001010101001010100101010010101010101000101011101  
01111111010101010101010100101010101010101010101000101001010010100101010101001001111010010101001011101  
01010101010101010101010101011110101010101010101010101010101110000010101010101110100000101010101001001****

* * *

**

**: program :// window :params// log43  
incoming transmission (Nebuchadnezzar III)**

'Hey their Fist. How are things?'

'Hey, things are okay here back home. I still miss him though.'

'I know what you mean. Doesn't feel right without the little brat huh?.'

'No I guess not.'

'Look, I was wondering if maybe we could...unplug him'

'ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND! You know what would happen.'

'I think I found a way around it.'

'Your lying.'

'No. Just trying.'

:program error[404 tracing...  
:[trace unable to detect

'What the fuck did you do idiot.'

'Nothing, must be a glitch from the long range transmission.'

'I've had talks even further. Could be a probe from them.'

'Shit. Try and log in as soon as possible, I'll tell you my plan.'

'Alright. See you soon.'

**: program :// window :params// log43 transmission (Nebuchadnezzar III)  
[terminating transmission...  
[transmission terminated**

* * *

Naruto cracked open an eye just barely, the warm sun, a soft blanket of silk shifting on his face with the rays of first light. He shifted, the thin white sheets moved around him like water, cold as a new piece touched his radiating flesh. A perfect thing to wake up to. A relieved sigh whisking over the covers, a groggy eye roams to the flashing red clock by the bed side. 

9:46

_'9:46?...SHIT!'_ the mind had slowly come to release what this time meant. He was late.

A blazed fury of movement, a zip of orange and blonde and he was out the door in 2 minutes, ramen would have to wait. Unless of course he would want to drink it through a tube for the next 3 weeks if he didn't hurry. _'Ramen can wait... that's three words I'd never thought I'd say'_ Soon our chosen figure stopped just outside a pair of double solid oak doors. He stopped just a few inches away, hand held high ready to open said doors when a screeching could be heard from the other side.

Now a said person would have been able to figure this out since it had happened to said person many times before, but none the less our friend did not even have the brain speed of windows '88 so he soon found himself winded and incredibly sore in the hips. Some would say it was due to the strenuous activities he was doing last night, others would argue it was the solid 500 pound hardwood desk that had sandwiched him between the walls.

"... ...ow" A small squeak tumbled from his lips.

"NARUTO!!! GET YOUR LATE, BLONDE ASS IN HERE!" There was a sharp intake of breath before a deafening finish of the sentence "NOW!!!!" Naruto quickly wriggled from between the desk sandwich and hastily bounded into the room.

Naruto stood in all his glory. Fishnet undershirt with or course and orange t-shirt to lay on top. Green camouflage style pants covered his legs, ninja pouches burdened with weapons and black shinobi standard sandals covered his feet.

"I knew we should have gotten a simpler instruction booklet for your alarm clock." The once glorious stance tumbled as he tripped over the harsh words.

Tsunade looked a little pissed, to others this would be classified as super extremo grande mucho pissed. "Naruto I asked you to get here on time. That means exactly at 9:30. Do you know what time it is now?"

The blonde orange clad teen simply placed his hand behind his head. "I would guess 9:50?" this earned a paper weight to the lower half that he deemed to be the most precious thing to him on this earth. He crumbled down into the foetal position.

"There I feel a lot better now." A small smile and a sigh escaped the hokage. "Now to the reason as to why you are here is that Jiraiya needs to see you about something, he wouldn't say but he stressed that it was incredibly important."

Naruto could only let out a small whimper of recognition that Tsunade took as an affirmative.

"Alright then. I guess all you have to do now is GET THE HELL OUT OF MY OFFICE YOU LITTLE BRAT!" the force of the scream blew the still foetal positioned Naruto out into the hallway and slamming the doors behind him. Many who observed this occasionally still believed that Tsunade had an affinity for wind since she could blow away Konoha with a simple scream. Not many dared voice these opinions.

After a few minutes of rocking back and forth cradling his jewels and muttering "Come on hang in there. You can live through this." He stood straight shaking out his legs and then slowly testing if all systems were a go before shooting of to the only place he knew he could find the old pervert. The hot springs.

Keen eyes soon noted a big shaggy flop of white covering the entire back of a supposed super pervert. Naruto charged at the acquired target before stopping only a metre behind the woolly white thingy.

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE ERO-SENNIN! I THE GREAT UZUMAKI SHALL SAVE THE INNOCENCE OF THESE BEAUTIFUL WOMEN FROM YOUR FILTHY, WONDERING EYES!" A finger pointed in accusation at the white haired blob.

Suddenly a shoe flew from thin air and clonked the blonde square on the side of his head. "YOU! FREAK BOY, GET AWAY FROM MY DOG!"

Naruto looked down to see the slobbering tongue and cold wet nose of the white thing. _'wait Jiraiya doesn't have a big tongue or a cold wet nose???'_

The owner of the dog walked past the boy took his dog by its lead, bent over to pick up his shoe which he then used to clonk the teen across the face once again. "You got the wrong white haired one. Then again can't blame you my dogs as big a pervert as he is. The man you want is over their." He pointed just of to his right to a miffed looking Jiraiya. "Later...idiots."

Naruto quickly ran to the other white furred pervert. "Hey ero-sennin what was it that Tsunade said was so important that I had to come see you?"

Jiraiya crossed his arms and mumbled his reply. "I was going to tell you to watch your ass it seems that Akatsuki has been aiming at you a lot more now. Seems there's been a new development." It seemed that Jiraiya was starting to get serious near the end.

Naruto's jaw dropped, eyes practically bungee jumped out of their sockets. "...that...that's it...YOU MEAN TO TELL ME I WORK UP OUT OF THE GREATEST SLEEP IN THE WORLD, THEN RAN MY STILL HALF NAKED SELF THROUGH KONOHA WHILST GETTING CHANGED BEFORE TAKING A DESK TO THE WAIST AND A SUPER POWERED PAPER WEIGHT INTO MY CROTCH JUST TO FIND OUT WHAT I ALREADY KNOW!" By now air was trying to force its way into his lungs anyway possible.

Jiraiya seemed unfazed. "Kid get serious, you're the last remaining demon carrier and you barely know anything. Listen, stuffs going to start happening. You may or may not like it but it's still going to happen."

Naruto however seemed to take none of this in he was still very angry._ 'this sucks kyuubi balls.'_

"So that's it you wanted to just warn me about me being a complete idiot right. Well fuck that ero-sennin I'm going. Next time you can come find me." With that Naruto left he was getting sick and tired of all the stuff that happened now.

Jiraiya stared at the back of the orange shirt. "I hope you get through this kid. Your whole world is about to be flipped through wonderland and back and I don't exactly have faith that this could completely work." He then vanished, he had business to see to.

Naruto trudged down one of the roads of Konoha he didn't care were it would take him just as long as it wasn't near any of his acquaintances. _'I can't believe the nerve of ero-sennin, I mean forcing me to wake up early, get beat in the most important area ever, just to learn that Akatsuki is trying to get me. I already know that! Worst of all is the way he treats me, like I'm a second rate clown. Everyone does that to me. It's like they know something that I don't, like some secret that changes you entirely. I bet they don't even think I can handle it.'_

Naruto heard a clink, he looked down onto a shining metal can, the razor sharp circular top opened. He bent down and picked it up, gently holding it like a flower. He tossed the can into the air slightly before it plummeted right back into his waiting palm. He continued to do this a few more times, watching as the silver opened top caught the light each time. His mind free of everything he began too walk.

Again it went into the air, but this time no glint, just shadow. Naruto stopped his fixation on the can to take in his surroundings. _'What the hell?_' He found himself just past the border of woodland. The tree's shadow seemed to have held back the suns rays, casting leaf shaped shadows on the ground in a mish mashed patterns. His eyes scanned the area, slowly his arm lowered to his side before it jerked in pain. Blue pools quickly gazed down at the small cut forming on his thumb. A simple line slowly opening like stitching on a doll before a bloom of red began to crawl out of the cut.

"Stupid can." Naruto bared his teeth before hurling the can deeper into the forest, his plan of much strategic thought soon tumbled around itself as the can rebounded off a near by tree and flew in a perfect path right back into the blonde's face. Naruto let out a grievous and frustrated hiss between his bared teeth before hurling his leg into the can sending it into a clearing just a few feet away. Another sound this time a grunt from Naruto. He was hoping for it to break or crumple or something not just hover there.

He stomped up to the can knee raised high ready to destroy the source of his anger. Just as his foot was sent crashing down it stopped. A puzzled expression brushed across the teen's face. He placed his foot back down softly and bent down to lay on his chest eyes staring directly at the gap or thin air between the can and the floor. _'What the...?'_

Racing to his feet Naruto jumped back. However he did not expect the solid brick wall only a few feet behind him. Again jumping back from the strange anomaly. _'The hell? That wasn't there a minute ago?'_ He slid back to take a better look. Soon all of the building came into view. _'A house I don't remember seeing that and I am not dumb enough to miss that kind of thing.'_ He traced the wall as it crept further along his left into the forest. An eyebrow raised. The solid wall just disappeared at the end of the clearing, the shadows from the tree's seemed to have made the building invisible. _'What kind of jutsu can do this?'_ Naruto's mouth opened in awe as his gaze again began to travel around the building.

"Naruto..." he swivelled on his heel to face nothing but a gust of cold air which rapped around his body before flinging him over the top of the wall in a flurry of grass and leaves. He collapsed in a heap onto the stone floor of the courtyard. Scrambling to his feet he quickly backed against the wall._ 'Okay get a grip. Breathe slowly. that's right easy, easy. Now to figure this crazy shit out before I go insane.'_

"Naruto... This way..." The ghostly voice of the wind came again. It seemed to echo and fly around. The gust again pushed him from the wall, Naruto tried to fight only to be shoved harder towards an open doorway, the doors of which held on by one single hinge each rotten and decaying slowly.

Naruto's breath began to become laboured, the simple fear and adrenaline clutched at his chest. Trying once again to hold his lungs still. The gust again pushed him, but only slightly, encouraging him further on. He stared into the dark abyss of the hallway.

* * *

Five dark figures were hugged by the shadows around them the simple light on the table in the middle of the room did little to none to fight back the darkness. 

"So you said you know how to unplug him. Care to share?" One of the figures spoke, the voice seemed to be very gentle.

"Yes I have figured out a way. You know that if we took out the virus then he would die instantly, fucking machine protocol.The smallest problem tries to get out ans zap they fry them. Fucking pieces of junk." This one seemed much more gruff.

"Well care to elaborate?" Again the silky voice spoke.

"Well you know that our seals won't work since there not true coding and as he wakes. Zap, shutdown and he's barely opened his eyes, let alone got out the pod. They won't let a virus out into 'their' world." A sigh. " Alright the plan is to make them do it." A gasp sounded three of the peoples shock. "I know its risky but you got to understand that its worth the it. We weren't never been able to get out the one code virus intact, but we have the chance to get out the nine code. That's more than people could ever dream of."

"Your fucking well insane. Your age is getting to your head." Such harsh words seemed to be like a pack of wolves ready to kill.

"Just listen! I know he's worth it. I know he could go all the way. He could be our saviour, the prophecy child. All we have to do is wait till they start to do a seal then get him as his code is still distorted then get him down here and unplug him before they can say check out that babes rack."

Another sigh from the soft lips. " I don't get why your so focused on this Hermit, I mean we've lost, there's no way to bring out a nine code virus. You know its impossible and to let him into their hands like that! Then magically pull him out. It just can't be done."

"Please." His voice was strained. A deadly serious atmosphere settled around them. Never did this one speak so purposefully. He never showed his emotions like this. "Please Fist. I know it's the greatest thing I have ever asked of you but I know that somehow he is the one that will save us. I don't say this just because the Oracle has told me but because I have faith in this boy. Do this for me please." The softly voiced one seemed to look downcast. "I'm begging you Fist. Please." That seemed to do the trick.

"Alright Hermit, we'll do it. But I hope that your right and we can get him out. If we don't I'll give you to them machines personally." The chair screeched back as she stepped away.

"Don't worry Fist I'll do it myself." Just as the gruff one pushed back his chair a ring resounded around the empty room. Everyone stopped.

* * *

Naruto was looking through each door as he walked along the hallway. Lights seemed to flicker out of wires that didn't even have bulbs in them. _'I really think I should get out of here.'_ The wind passed him again forcing him on like a hand. "Alright I understand." It seemed the wind would push him until it got what it wanted. He looked into another room. Nothing special. Then another nothing and another and another and ano-... he stopped in his tracks. 

Rain? It was raining? He walked into the room. Two small gaps in the roof provided enough light. He stepped up to one of them. A puddle seemed to be forming around one of them soaking the planks and rotting them away. He looked to the other, rain did not fall from this one. The alternated looking at each one in turn before curiosity got to him and he stepped under the one that had the rain falling from it. He felt the rain connecting on his body. Soaking the shirt to his skin. He looked over at the other. "This is just weird."

A groan. Then snap! The boards underneath Naruto's feet split, his body lost all feeling. Air rushing around him as him plummeted toward the ground, the rotten wood falling with him, splinters and chunks. Closer the ground came the stone slabs of the floor growing, an oncoming tsunami. He braced his hand below him, he knew it wouldn't work but it could at least do something.

Just as he was about to his the floor he stopped. Just like to can. He hovered, the small space just underneath him just simple air. He stared, breathing, blowing the dust around the floor just the same as a miniature sand storm. "wow". A simple sigh of a word. Gazing down at the floor still in amazement. He watched as the distance increased. His form lifting like a bird softly swimming through the air.

* * *

The figure picked up the phone. "What is it Needle?" 

The static voice came over. "Sir. It seems the plan will have to be brought forward. Their already there."

"...shit"

* * *

"Uzumaki." Naruto looked over to the source of the voice. The gap disappeared and he found himself flat side down on the floor staring at the cloak. 

"...shit"

The cloaks scuffed against the stone flooring as the wind blew against it. Like a hand distorting the flow of a river, giving life to the blood red clouds scattered about the midnight sky material. Naruto followed an invisible trail up the billowing cloak.

He met those eyes, those eyes that belonged also to a friend. Like the blazing fires of hell and the black comma slowly spinning in their own cause, forever to swim never to be take by the black abyss of the pupil. Slaves, forever to be tortured. The other a pale blue, mutated creature, not meant for this mortal realm. Gills adorned each cheek just like that of the whiskers on Naruto.

"So Uzumaki of all places we find you here of all places." The devil eyed murder spoke, a small grin on his face at the irony. "Amazing how you have failed to notice the error in the world and yet you have not grasped the main idea that would usually stir in others... how amusing." This time another grin joined, a pearl shine of jagged teeth, Kisame.

Naruto swiftly jumped to his feet, the numbness of the moment gone. He was ready to figh...or run.

Again the sharingan infused one spoke. "Now Naruto I hope your not thinking of running are you?"

Naruto however was acting before the words had left Itachi's mouth. His feet found grip on the stone, he would run then he would escape this place. He bounded through a rotten door less exit to his right. _'Don't look. Just run!'_ His mind made he began to race through the halls, twisting and turning, clawing at the ground as he skidded to far past a turn. Peeling walls blurred on either side of his vision. That's when he made the mistake... that's when he looked back.

The splinters blasted on the side of his neck before the sound of the door being smashed apart reached his ears. He fell to the floor knee jarring as it bounced of the wooden flooring. There stood in his wake a giant, skin a slippery distant blue. "Your fun to fuck around with kid. Now get running, this paths taken." he chuckled razored teeth glinting.

Naruto had not to be told twice before he was on his feet and racing again down the halls. He would not make the same mistake twice and look back. But his body was soon blasted to the side down a small turn off he failed to notice at his sprinting speed. He stumbled and fell to the ground as the wind continued to crash against him, he forced an eye open to notice that there was no source to the wind it just appeared seeming to want to obliterate him with no just cause.

"Still not figured it out yet Uzumaki?" His head swivelled to meet Itachi's face only 6 feet above him. He pushed his way up and spun around the figure blocking his path and once again let his feet thunder down the planks. "You can run all you want Uzumaki. We'll take what we want." The echo followed the pounding of feet in pursuit.

He didn't care where he went as long as it lead to a way out._ 'Run Naruto, GOD DAMMIT RUN U IDIOT!'_

* * *

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN THEIR ALREADY HERE!" The shadow screamed down the mobile. The others seemed too much in shock to move. 

"I'm sorry sir, but they just popped out of nowhere, you have to get there now. He's at the glitch and I don't think he will last that long." The voice was rushed over the static.

"Shit." He turned to the others. "Alright things have been brought forward but we can do this. Cherry, Raven. I need you to set up the chair and tracing gear to get this fucker out fast. Fist, Scarecrow, I want you guys with me, were gonna go get him and get him out of this god forsaken shit hole." As soon as the sentence ended each left for the jobs that needed to be done.

Right. Left. Left. Right He was running and there was no way out. Even though he felt relief he still knew they were close, too close. He skidded at the next turn and stood in awe. A window. _'YES!'_ he forced his dying legs on _'just a few more...'_ He could see it now the blaring light of the sun was blinding him, but he didn't care as long as he got out.

A flash of red eyes and then a searing pain in his stomach. "Itachi." the name spoken merely a faint whisper.

"Yes Uzumaki. No more running. We've had our fun." A raise of the lips in a deep sneer. Grinding Naruto's hopes to powder. "So Uzumaki figured it out yet, or were you to busy running for your life."

He collapsed, his legs couldn't hold without energy and pain roaring through him. He just knelt there before his executer waiting for the final words to be spoken and the swift death after.

"Giving up so easily Uzumaki, my, I thought better of you." He said. "Now, Naruto, before I end your enclosing existence do you have anything else to say hmm?. No? Well how about we play a game before you go?" a slight pause as Naruto took a shaky breath. "Alright then. Now Naruto, this place, it's very troublesome wouldn't you say? It doesn't seem right that rain would appear out of nowhere or that wind's would appear from walls now would it?"

"Wha-what is th- this place?" A groaned escaped his bared teeth

"Finally we get a response I was beginning to thought I had overestimated you." That sneer again grinding further into Naruto than the pain. "Well you ask the right questions Naruto and I shall answer. This may be hard for your little pea brained mind to comprehend but this is a glitch." Another groan. "Yes a glitch in the world...or should i say, the matrix?"

Naruto forced his head up in a snap glaring at the rogue nin. He'd vent his anger in the best way possible in the situation. "What the fuck are you talking about you fucked up shit picker?"

"Such language Uzumaki, I dare say it doesn't suit you." A snigger from his fine lips. "Well Uzumaki I'll tell you one thing that will blow your mind." He took a deep breath dragging out the eagerness in Naruto's eyes. "The world doesn't exist. Well it does. But you my friend, you are not in the world. You are locked away, you energy being sucked away and pumped to into our world. You are nothing but a bolt of electricity. Understand Uzumaki?"

"All I got was I'm a little fucked up asshole who likes to tea bag my shark buddy. What the hell are you talking about?" Pain shot through him but this time it was from the fist connecting with his jaw.

The devil like eyes glared down at him. "Don't get smart with me, Uzumaki, just because you are ignorant to the truth." He took a pause of breath. "Soon Uzumaki just before you die you will see what the real world is and when you do. You'll wish you could die faster." He smirked, his face a simple jest of sickening torture, he knew how to break someone.

"Yeah? You think so huh? Well how about you tell me how you feel when it happens to you." Itachi responded, he dove to the side, but the kunai flew through the window and hit the target right in the shoulder. Itachi cried out in pain and blood burst out.

Naruto smiled and closed his eyes he already knew who it was by the force of the throw.

"FUCK WITH MY STUDENTS HUH?! I DON"T THINK SO ASSHOLE!" Jiraiya had already grabbed Itachi and cast him down the hallway the same as the kunai before.

Naruto felt the hands grab onto his shoulder as he opened his blue hues slowly. The voice spoken to him was garbled, distorted by the hum and ringing in his ears from the pain still ripping from his stomach.

"Good, I mean shit, they got you. Well at least we won't have to stick around." He turned out and looked down at the barely visible fight still raging on between Kisame and his two followers. "FIST! SCARECROW! ITACHI ALREADY DID IT, WE HAVE TO GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" The fighting pitched up, both his friends hoping to end the battle quickly.

"Come on kid." he hefted Naruto onto his shoulders and proceeded to leap out of the window. The race began again but this time Naruto wasn't the one running. "FIST! SCARECROW! I SAID HURRY UP!"

The busty blonde quickly punched Kisame. "I HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME HERMIT!" The other helper, with silver hair dancing, blasted the shark with a fire jutsu. With that both thundered away following the man and his package.

"ITACHI AND HIS BUDDY COULD CATCH US! YOU KNOW THEIR FASTER!" She simply watched as he held up a little black tube in his palm thumb poised above a warningly bright red button.

"JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER FIST!" He picked up a faster pace.

"Guys hate to interrupt but. THEIR HERE!" The silver hair sprinted further and fast meeting up with the others pace.

A rain of fireballs danced around them, they twisted and spiralled missing some by only a hairs width. Then bullets of water smashed into the branches breaking some off with their force. "UZUMAKI!"

Jiraiya looked to his accomplices. Tsunade and Kakashi both looked to him also. Then a simple word and a flash of teeth as a click sounded, the red button squashed down. "Bang!" He whispered. A boom filled the forest. The very fabric of time froze as splinters, leaves, branches and grass were encompassed in the spreading fire that reared forth like the hooves of a horse galloping across the plains. Destroying all in its wake. That's when things happened, the bone jarring smash as the power of the explosion beat against their backs, they were thrown forward, just steadying themselves as they landed before launching of again still not slowing in fear that the tag alongs had somehow survived unscathed.

* * *

Beeps and lights flashed as three people worked furiously to get everything prepared for a fast procedure. A voice over a speaker sounded through the silent room. "Cherry, Raven? You guys got everything ready?" 

The first was the smart pink haired one codenamed Cherry. "All systems check. Pod status is online and on monitor, anything goes wrong we'll know before it happens." A simple flick of her hair as she whipped her head of any respiration.

"Raven?"

The cool raven haired teen had his feet splayed on a pad covered in letters and numbers. Black tinted glasses covered his eyes from view. "Yeah every things working, tracers on and doing its job."

Again the voice came over the speaker. "Alright so we got everything set, good." Small rapid clicks could be heard as the voice spoke telling everyone that the one called Needle was furiously typing away getting the encrypted code onto the screen as fast as possible. "All we have to do now is wa-"

The door slammed open as Jiraiya, Tsunade and Kakashi swarmed into the room, Naruto carried in Jiraiya's arms. His limp form shrugged as Jiraiya rushed forward placing Naruto in the chair centred in the middle of room, the screens and monitors surrounded him like vultures.

"Needle is everything ready to go?" Tsunade spoke as she rushed next to Naruto opposite the side Jiraiya had taken.

A few more typing clicks and again the voice on the speaker came to life. "Yes Captain Tsunade everything is ready. Cherry has a definite lock on all pod statistics"

Jiraiya stood next to Naruto and watched as everyone was quickly double checking everything.

He took the phone next to the speaker and placed it on a simple stand that fed the codings all the way to Naruto's pod, heaven forbid they wanted a Naruto who didn't have any memory or control of his body.

"I'm tracing now." The voice of Needle came over the speaker, letting everyone know of his progress.

Jiraiya looked down at Naruto and brushed a long strand of blonde hair from his sweating brow. "Naruto. If you can hear me tell me now, I have to tell you something, something you have to hear." A small groan came from Naruto's mouth as his teeth bared in pain. "I'll take that as a yes. Look Naruto were not going to hurt you. We want to set you free. When you wake up just breathe and remember that I'll be there as fast as possible and everything you need to know will be answered then."

The steady clicking of a keyboard stopped over the speaker. "Sir, I got him, I'm ready to unplug by your command."

Jiraiya looked to the speaker then back at Naruto. "This'll feel a little weird."

Tsunade then came over and bent down to place a small kiss on Naruto's forehead. "We'll see you on the other side..."

Jiraiya in turn smiled. Turning to the speaker he spoke. "Do it."

* * *

**11001011001001010111010100010101010010101001010100101001010101001010100101010010101010101000101011101  
01111111010101010101010100101010101010101010101000101001010010100101010101001001111010010101001011101  
01010101010101010101010101011110101010101010101010101010101110000010101010101110100000101010101001001  
**


	2. The construct

**The Matrix: Shinobi**

**Chapter 3: Prison**

**By Forger**

* * *

**11001011001001010111010100010101010010101001010100101001010101001010100101010010101010101000101011101  
01111111010101010101010100101010101010101010101000101001010010100101010101001001111010010101001011101  
01010101010101010101010101011110101010101010101010101010101110000010101010101110100000101010101001001**

* * *

Naruto opened his eyes slowly then quickly shut them as the blinding light from the bulbs smashed down on him. The dull ache behind his eyes slowly dissipated into nothing. He once again tried to open his eyes only a sliver, the light this time did not seem as intense but it still brought back the dull ache. He began to let his eyes wander and he soon noticed two people of to the side._ 'Man what happened? Must be in the hospital again... Why can't I get a break?_' His ears suddenly captured what they were saying. 

"I can't believe it." The one that spoke was quite large, most likely a male. His voice was so caring, so hopeful.

"I know what you mean. You actually pulled the stunt off, I'm more amazed at that than him making it out." The playful chuckle of laughter filled the air, this one was definitely a woman Naruto thought. However the voice changed its pitch to a more fascinated tune. "But what I don't understand is his statistics when we did a check over. Seems like his muscle, ears, eyes and nearly all other senses have increased above that of normal? Only slightly, but still it's unusual."

The other spoke again, his voice was wise and commanding. "Yes I noticed. But I believe this is because of the nine code virus adapting into his genetic code through the coaxial line, changing him that way."

Naruto took in a shaky breath and couldn't help but cough as he choked on his saliva. _'What the hell is wrong with me?'_ The two figures quickly came over and stood by Naruto's side. The light caught the two faces.

"Ero-sennin? Obaa-chan?" His voice was raspy and barely audible.

"Shhh, rest Naruto, you need to sleep." Naruto tried to question them but he was already in a deep slumber.

* * *

Naruto's eyes flickered open again, waking from the blank dreamless sleep. He looked up and saw cables and pipes with valves running across the grey ceiling and the walls. He slowly propped himself up by his elbows before hefting his body up to sit up. He looked around and found that this was definitely not the hospital. Cold, grey sheets of iron pounded by rivets acted as walls, a large hatch like door with a large wheel type valve. His bed was a simple cot fixed to the side of one of the walls._ 'Is this quarantine or something? What happened?'_. He looked at his clothes to find a ragged and faded orange shirt that nearly hung of one shoulder as the collar was ripped and frayed at the end. The sleeves dropping almost over his hands. 

He swung his legs out of the bed and saw the large navy blue trousers also frayed at the ankle. _'Ok? I know they haven't cut their budget that much to not have those stupid gowns. I gotta go get some answers.'_ Naruto tried to stand but as he did so he felt a small pull on his arm forcing him to fall back onto the cot. He looked down to see a tube stuck into his forearm. Confusion and shock screamed from his mind reflecting onto his face. He slowly reached out and wrapped his fingers around the small cable. Giving it a quick tug he found it sliding out of his arm, a small tingle of cramp flowing from his hand the further he pulled it out. A small click sounded the end of the mild torture. He held the 3 inch needle that was in his arm moments before at eye level inspecting it slowly.

He was snapped out of his awe when the hatch opened, the rusty screech reverberated around the room. Naruto watched as at first a combat boot appeared then the same navy blue pants as him and finally a grey shirt also with frays. Yet this shirt had a small patch on the side. Black with a, once golden, now filthy yellow horizontal column of strikes. Naruto counted two. Just above these lines was a crown three small X's acting as jewels.

"Ero-sennin?" Naruto's voice had finally rested and this time he spoke clearly like he used to, yet he still felt this itching in his throat when he spoke.

"Even in this world you still call me that." He smiled heartily. "I hope you slept well?" Jiraiya looked down on him the smile fading slightly.

"I'm fine but what the hell is this place? What happened? Am I in hospital or something? What about Itachi and Kisame?" His questions all rushed in at once.

Jiraiya just chuckled and held up his hands. "Easy there brat, not to many questions at once." He sighed and lowered his arms. "I'll tell you all of the answers but first I need you to come with me, there's a lot of people who want to meet you." He smiled again and held the door open for Naruto. As Naruto stood up he remembered something.

"wait... that plug... thing... in my arm. What was that?" Jiraiya's face fell slightly.

"I told you, all will your answers will come. But first..." he waited as Naruto got the hint and stepped out through the hatch onto a metal grated floor that dug into Naruto's bare feet. Jiraiya pulled the door to and began to walk, Naruto quickly at his heels unable to wait for the answers.

As they walked through the metal passage way Naruto's eyes looked all round, taking in all they could. _'Where the hell is this place? Under Konoha? The old Prison?'_

"Naruto stop day dreaming and get up here!" Naruto quickly looked up the ladders that just appeared in front of him as he came back out of his thoughts. Jiraiya was waiting up through a small hatch just at the top not too far up. Naruto put his arms out and began to climb the cold metal biting at him. It seemed different, like he had never touched it before. A totally new experience.

He emerged through the top of the hatch and pulled himself up, and picked himself onto his feet. He looked up to see 5 figures in front of him.

"How are you dobe?" One of them sneered and crossed his arms.

Naruto stared at those in front of him. "Obaa-chan? Kakashi? Shizune nee-chan? Sakura-chan? Sasuke? Wh- What the hell is going on? Why are you guys here?" Everyone's smile faded as he said this. "What's wrong?"

Jiraiya placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder and stood next to him. "Naruto we need to talk."

Tsunade butted in. "And before you say anything. What we are about to tell you is no joke. This time you have to be serious." She nodded for Jiraiya to continue.

"Naruto. You've been living in a dream world." Jiraiya took a deep breath. "Everything you've known, Konoha, Suna, the wave┘ its all a lie. This here and now is the real world. You may think it's the year 1782 but in actual fact it's the year 2799. We're not entirely sure because we don't even know ourselves. This dream world you've been living in is something we call the matrix. I know it will be hard for you to understand but we're here for you and we'll explain everything soon."

Naruto stared at him in shock. _'No! NO! this can't be true their lying! They have to be!'_

"I told you Naruto this is no joke!" Jiraiya shouted. "Don't look at me like that! What we're telling you is the truth! You need to hear this! You! Are! Free!" Jiraiya stared him straight in the eye. His gaze never wavering. Naruto calmed and looked down. Looking through the metal mesh of floor and down at the cables beneath it. "Naruto?..."

The boy only whispered back his answer. "I've known... I've known all along. I just couldn't accept what I was seeing. My mind would never let me. I saw things... numbers... I didn't know what they meant. They scared me...so I blocked them out and soon enough they went away." He looked up to meet Jiraiya's confused face. "I thought it was wrong to see it. So I stopped looking...now your telling me it was all real? So this is what I was trying to see... the real world?"

Jiraiya just continued to look at him. "You've always known?! But-...how?" Everyone else stared down at Naruto. Kakashi simply thinking _'The number one surprising ninja...it certainly is true. In that world and this.'_

"I don't know I just could." he took in a shaky breath. "So if this is the real world...Where am I?"

Jiraiya smiled. "You truly are the most surprising ninja. We are on my ship. The Nebuchadnezzar 3. It's a ship that we use to travel through the underground network that covers nearly all of the world and get to a broadcast depth which allows us to then hack into the matrix." Naruto's Eyebrow raised up in confusion. Jiraiya just smiled a little more and began to explain. "The matrix is what the fake world is called. An illusory stimulated reality construct." Naruto's face went blank. "It's basically a fake world made up by computers. Get it now?" Naruto just nodded in understanding. "And you should know Naruto. We're not then only ones that are free."

Naruto stood straight up, his face eager to know what Jiraiya meant. "You mean there are more people who are free? Who?"

"Not just a few people Naruto. A whole city. Four times the size of Konoha. Anybody who is free goes there. As far as we know though. That is the only human city left on this world." Jiraiya sighed and looked down. "Naruto I think its time we let you see everything." He looked up to the rest of the crew stood in front of him. "Let's plug the kid in."

Everyone quickly got to their stations. Shizune and Sasuke were letting their fingers float over the keyboards. They had done this so many times they didn't need to look down. Kakashi, Tsunade and Sakura went round each seat and prepared them for everyone to log in.

Jiraiya led him over to one of the seats. Naruto sat down in the soft recliner. A small hole at the headrest let Naruto's head fit snugly into the seat. His feet clicked into place signifying Jiraiya had securely put the ankle restraints on properly. "Now Naruto were not going to be going into the real world, we'll just be going into a simple program we've created that looks like the matrix." Jiraiya stepped round to the side of Naruto and gripped something just out of sight for Naruto. "This may sting but try not to move." Just as Jiraiya finished this sentence Naruto felt a blinding pain shoot down through his spine and another up into his brain. But it left as quickly as it came.

He opened his eyes to find himself standing in the middle of a vast expanse of white. Nothing could be seen for miles.

"This is the construct. It allows us to upload anything we want. From clothes to weapons." Naruto looked across to see Jiraiya in his normal attire of red and green.

Suddenly two chairs and a little TV appeared in between them both in the blink of an eye. Naruto reached out and felt the chair. The old leather rubbed against his touch. "This isn't real?"

Jiraiya took a seat and motioned for Naruto to do the same. "What is real? If you mean what we can feel, smell, hear or taste then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain. Those can easily be reproduced to make this. That is why we have the coaxial line, it allows us to feel what is around us in the matrix." He sighed deeply. "Naruto This is the real world as it is today."

The scenery seemed to shoot from the floor as huge blackened rock faces and the rumble of thunder sounded around the valley. "Welcome to the desert...of the real."

Naruto jumped in his seat and stared in awe and wonder. He bent down to pick up a piece of flint laying on the ground. _'It feels so real? How could it be a lie?'_

"We know that near the end of the year 2600 all of mankind was united together and marvelled as they created A.I."

"A.I.?"Naruto questioned

"Artificial intelligence. An entire race of machines that could think independently. We know that because of unit B-166-ER who turned against its master and killed him the war was beginning. B-166-ER was shut down and many robots fought against this. Soon riots broke out and robots were being exterminated. The remaining robots fled and created a new city called Zero One. There economy boomed and we felt threatened so we attacked and that is when we blackened the skies." He pointed up. Naruto stared at the black clouds that rumbled an tumbled over each other like the ocean. "They beat us and cultivated us. Using our bodies to power themselves since the sun's energy was no longer available."

Naruto's mind was spinning nothing was the right answer to how to cope. "Let me out!...Please! Let me out!"

The world fell away and Naruto opened his eyes to find himself back on the Nebuchadnezzar 3. He quickly broke free of the restraints and ran as fast as he could his feet pounding on the metal grate as he reached the hatch and climbed down and aimed for his bed back in his room.

"NARUTO!" was all he heard before the heavy clang of the door echoed through the ship.

* * *

The soft little knocks on the steel startled Naruto out of his mindless thinking. He stayed quiet hoping they would think he was asleep and leave him alone. He had been sat there for who knows how long. Simply staring at the wall and trying to come to terms with this truth that was in front of him. Unfortunately this person wasn't going away. 

"Naruto." He heard softly though the metal. It was Tsunade. "Look I know it's hard to accept but we all had too. Please come out. I want my little happy otouto back...please." She stepped back as the metal door slowly grated backwards revealing a sliver of Naruto's face.

"I was hated...hated; and it was all a lie anyway." was Naruto's weak response. Tsunade just pulled the door open more and embraced the boy in her arms. He was taller then her now she thought to herself.

"Naruto. I think you should know something else." She lead him back to his bed and sat him down. She sat next to him and placed her arm around him. "Otouto, you should know that the Bijuu are all viruses. Nothing's perfect and the machines couldn't make anything perfect either. The Bijuu are one of the worst mistakes that occurred. You see what I'm trying to say? The kyuubi sealed inside of you is nothing but a machine virus."

Naruto just looked more saddened. "So now I'm an infected piece of trash. Thanks obaa-chan that really helps." Naruto was about to curl up and go back to his simple musings when Tsunade hugged him.

"No Naruto. In the matrix you may hold the Kyuubi but here, now, you are just Naruto. My handsome little otouto." She smiled as he looked to her.

"But I'm bigger than you." He looked back at her and watched her smile turn into a grin and then a laugh escape her.

"There's my otouto." She held him tighter. "Come on. Everyone's been worried sick about you. Apart from Kakashi, he's still stuck in those fucking books."

"No thanks obaa-chan. Not right now." Her smile fell and her eyes crinkled holding back tears.

"Well when your ready. I'll be here ok?" She didn't hear a reply so she stood up and slowly left looking back through the door. She turned to see Jiraiya looking in. "Why?" She simply said before walking away wiping of a single tear from her left cheek.

Jiraiya sighed and walked in sitting just opposite Naruto on one of the pipes sticking out from the wall. Naruto's back was to him, curled up, knee's to his chest. "Naruto-

"I can't go back can I?" His voice was strained and rasping.

Jiraiya sighed. "No. But even if you could. Ask yourself. Would you want to?" Naruto shifted somewhat. "I have to apologise. I took a risk when I brought you out. You see, because of the Kyuubi there is a greater risk of you not making it out alive." Naruto rolled over and looked Jiraiya in the eye. "But I knew you would make it. I had complete faith in you Naruto."

"So you did it. Even though you knew I might die?" His voice held more malice than usual.

"Yes and I'm sorry. But you should know Naruto that when the matrix was made the Bijuu were connected to people much in the same way now. One of these containers was able to break free of the matrix. He was the first to free us and teach us the truth. When he died it was prophesised by the oracle that he would return every 100 years. So far we've had 2 of these people, we call them, 'The One'. Each of these One's was at most a 5 tail. We've never had anything stronger. Some of us search our entire lives for the next one. I did what I did because we are in danger... and I believe that search is over." He stood and slowly walked to the door.

Naruto stared at Jiraiya's retreating back. "Ero-sennin... I..."

"I have faith in you, Naruto." The door closed.

* * *

Naruto snapped his head round as his door swung open to reveal Shizune who waved and smiled at him. "Morning Naruto. Sleep well?" Naruto just shook his head as a reply. "Well I bet you will tonight, come on it's time to get you training." She pulled the door open more and let him out first. 

He stared as her delicate fingers darted across the simple keys making small clicks as she went. Just like Lee would sound if sprinting in high heels. "Alright training will be a little different to what your used to. All we do is plug you up and then download the stuff into coaxial line which then processes the information into your brain. Think of it as 20 years training compacted into five seconds." Naruto simply raised his eyebrow. "Let's just say you could master all taijutsu in the world in a few hours. But not many people can usually download that much information. So I'll give you a little taster then we can see how it goes from there." She smiled and lead him to the same recliner as before when he and Jiraiya were in the construct two day's ago.

Naruto reluctantly got into the seat and waited for the pain to come just like the last time. However when the line was placed in all he felt was a fairly numbing sensation and a shiver down his spine. He looked up at the screen above him and read it 'STRONG FIST' ."You mean I'm going to learn all of the taijutsu's in the world?"

Shizune shrugged her shoulder. "Well only the ones we have from people that are free. But we have about 65 different styles. Anyway get ready." No sooner had she said this a shooting pain racked through Naruto's body. It was trying to almost burst out from itself. Then it just went away.

Naruto heaved in as much air as he could. "Fuck me! Dattebayo!"

"Naruto. You ok there?"

"Hell yeah. Keep 'em coming Shizune nee-chan." And it began Naruto took in as much as he could soon mastering every taijutsu known to the freed people. He then asked for ninjutsu only being able to absorbed the katon and fuuton before his mind started to pulse from the amounts of information it had taken in.

"Jeez Naruto you sure know how to take that stuff. I don't think I've seen anyone take that much data in one session. Then again you are the most surprising ninja." She smiled and watched him slowly stand up.

"Thanks Shizune nee-chan. I think I might go to sleep now. I just feel really tired." He slumped away dragging his feet across the grated flooring.

"Told you you would." Shizune laughed before sitting back down on the operator chair in front of all the screens.

Jiraiya stepped out from the side and round so he stood side on with her. "So what do you think?"

"It was amazing how much he could take in." Shizune answered.

"I know." He sighed. "We'll be going back to Zion soon. You know the celebrations are coming up."

She let a small smile out. "I know. I think it might be nice for Naruto. To see all those people."

Jiraiya's only response was to grin lecherously and giggle. "Yeah he can watch all those girls grinding and soaked in water." Next minute he had a keyboard to the face and heard a grumble as Shizune walked away.

* * *

Naruto found himself shook awake by Jiraiya and telling him that breakfast would be ready in a few minutes and to get washed and ready. Soon he was sat at the table staring at slop put into his little tin dish. He could have sworn that it stared back at him too. "You don't happen to have any ramen do you?" Everyone else at the table stopped mid-way in what they were doing and stared at him before suddenly bursting out into laughter. Naruto found not funny in the slightest. "Listen this place sucks already so can I just have some ramen." 

Kakashi chuckled a little more and wiped a tear away from his one visible eye. "Ahhh that was funny Naruto. You should know though that there is no ramen here. Most likely because we don' really know what ramen tastes like."

Naruto just seemed to stare at Kakashi, them slowly at steadily keeping his facial features the same he turned his head to face Jiraiya who soon stopped laughing to look at Naruto. "what?" suddenly he was pinned on the floor and a metal dish was being slammed into his head repeatedly.

"NO RAMEN!!! WHY DON'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME IN HELL HUH!!! FIRST YOU FUCK UP MY LIFE AND THEN YOU TAKE AWAY THE ONE THING PRECIOUS TO ME!!! GOD DAMMIT ERO-SENNIN!!!" Naruto was quickly dragged off Jiraiya by the rest of the crew.

Jiraiya stood and stared the boy straight in the eye. "Alright brat. You want a fight I'll give you one. You. Me. Construct room now." As he finished he stormed out of the cafeteria soon followed by Naruto and then the rest of the crew who were eager to get a good spot to see the royal ass whooping Naruto would be served. They made it to the seats and quickly relaxed into them. Shizune's fingers doing their magic on the keyboard.

Shizune looked over to Jiraiya who was just lying down onto the chair, preparing to get plugged in. "Jiraiya, sir. Where would you like to go?"

Jiraiya thought before looking over and smiling. "The dojo if you could please Shizune." There was a momentary pause in everyone's movement as a collective thought off._ 'Naruto's going to get his ass SERIOUSLY kicked'_. Soon everyone was ready and the coaxial lines were placed in Naruto and Jiraiya who subconscious quickly slipped away into the realm of the construct.

Kakashi looked around the crew onboard the ship. "I got 10 to 1 on Naruto winning." Tsunade quickly whipped round and poked the copycat in the chest.

"HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT ABOUT MY OTOUTO! HE SO CAN WIN!" As soon as people began to gather around the monitor to watch the fight Tsunade quickly slipped Kakashi 50 credits and whispered. "Put it on the pervert." Kakashi nodded in understanding and stashed the money in his pocket.

Naruto opened his eyes to find himself stood across thinly padded white dojo mats. The walls made of rice paper doors and polished boards of oak. Thick support beams ran around the edges of the mats and held up the second floor just above them. Jiraiya, across the way, wore simple black gi pants. His hitai-ate for oil still on his head. Naruto looked down to see he also had no shirt but simple white gi pants and his hitai-ate of Konoha punctured onto a white piece of cloth.

"So gaki. You think you can finally take me?" He sneered and, twisting his arms, dropped into a stance very gracefully. "You know I still haven't even tried when fighting you yet? This time... I'm not holding back."

"Heh. Your all talk...old man." Naruto's mind swiftly acted on its own as he entered a stance, this one much more force full than Jiraiya's, stomping his front foot down Naruto was ready.

Jiraiya smirked and waited. Both opponents seemed to stand there, staring the other down, seeing who would wear down first even before the battle began. Naruto's foot twitched. The battle was on. Racing forward Jiraiya swiftly ducked under Naruto's foot and tried to sweep away Naruto's standing leg. He missed as Naruto skipped over it. As soon as he landed Naruto sent out a few punches that were easily stopped by Jiraiya's flowing defence, who soon countered and had Naruto quickly jump away to gain a break in the battle. Jiraiya wouldn't allow it.

Launching again into the fray Jiraiya took Naruto with to quick punches and a kick right to the middle, sending Naruto sprawling. Jiraiya launched himself into the air. Hands flashing through a series of seals. "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu." The large fireball shot towards Naruto who quickly twisted and flipped himself away. Narrowly missing the flames.

"Hey! You didn't say we could use jutsu!" Naruto clenched his fist.

Jiraiya only smirked. "I didn't say you couldn't." Naruto growled at the old man but quickly moved to the side to dodge the incoming attacks.

* * *

"Wow look at them go. I've never seen a speed rating like this before. It's almost of the charts!" Shizune exclaimed pointing to a spiking graph on another monitor. 

Kakashi sighed. "True but you know that they've barely even gotten to their best yet." This only earned a few nods and a humph from Sasuke.

* * *

Jiraiya dodged the multiple shuriken weaving this way and that. Finally he watched as Naruto charged in and grabbed the gennin's fist before swinging his arm back and ramming it into Naruto's stomach, it didn't connect and Jiraiya found his fist floating through a cloud from the bunshin he has just destroyed. 

"RASENGAN!" Jiraiya twisted round and barely dodged the spiralling ball of charka that was about to be shoved into his stomach. Grabbing Naruto's wrist he pulled Naruto forward and of balance before slamming a charka enhanced kick into Naruto's sternum throwing him away.

Jiraiya walked up to Naruto and squatted next to him. "Naruto. Why are you still fighting as if you have boundaries? Look around you. It isn't real." He paused. "All I'm saying is. The laws of nature can be broken in this place." He stood up and paced to the other end of the mats. "Again."

Naruto stood on shaking legs. Before taking a deep breath and setting himself up in a stance with much more flow, much like Jiraiya's. Jiraiya stood completely still, waiting for the first move. A blur and he was already in Naruto's face jumping and twisting over to kick Naruto in the head, swiftly dodging it Naruto swung in, blocked and arm crossed over his chest he sent in the another fist, again it was blocked and crossed the other way over his chest. Jiraiya swung open Naruto's arms and without giving anytime for Naruto to block rammed both of his fists into Naruto's gut, doubling him over before viciously jumping into a kick, freezing in midair, then smashing it into Naruto's jaw with all the might he could muster.

"Needle... Log out."

It was over.

* * *

Naruto opened his eyes to Sakura and Tsunade giving him sympathetic eyes. "I lost didn't I?" It was more of a statement than a question, he still got the answer the way the two stared down and avoided eye contact. 

Jiraiya walked up and clapped Naruto on the shoulder, Naruto seethed in pain and clutched his shoulder. "I thought you said that it wasn't real? How can I feel the pain from that still?"

Jiraiya looked solemnly at Naruto. "You brains still connected to the computer. It see's it to be real and therefore makes it real."

Naruto looked on. "So what ever happens in there... happens to me?" Again more of a statement rather than a question.

"Just get some rest kid." Naruto stood up and walked away with Sakura to his quarters.

Tsunade and Jiraiya watched as their backs disappeared around the bend. Tsunade broke the silence. "You could have gone at least a little easier on him."

Jiraiya looked back at her. "The real problem Tsunade. Was that I was... For once in my life... I'm starting to doubt him, and I don't like it." He felt the soft grace of her hand on his shoulder.

"Everyone has their doubts Jiraiya. Sometimes you have to see it twice to completely doubt it. Try him again another day, maybe help settle his mind." Tsunade smiled slightly. "You know we still don't have a name for him yet?"

Jiraiya let out a small chuckle. "I almost forgot about that. Got any idea's so far?"

Tsunade grinned. "Just the one... Glitch."

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	3. Impossibilities

**The Matrix: Shinobi**

**Chapter 3: Impossibilities**

**By Forger**

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**Naruto lay in his cot, thoughts flashing through his mind. He still couldn't understand how to come to terms with the new information ****brought before him. Was there even a way? If there was, Naruto hadn't found it and he probably never would. **_'Maybe I could talk to someone, someone who would understand how to deal with this.' _**Kakashi and Jiraiya were definitely out off the question, along with Sasuke and Shizune. That only left either Tsunade or Sakura. Naruto suddenly remembered he hadn't properly talked to Sakura since before finding out about all of this.**

"**That's it! I'll go see Sakura." Naruto stood up and began to walk out of his little metal compartment where he had stayed for the past day without disruption.**

* * *

**He walked along the metal grates, still bare foot since Jiraiya couldn't find any boots that he could fit into since they were either too big or too small. Climbing the hatch up into the main control room he found Shizune and Kakashi talking away. As they noticed Naruto coming up the stairs they stopped their conversation and gave him a small smile with a wave and a 'yo' from Kakashi. Naruto tried to smile back but found he couldn't, it dying at the corners of his mouth before they could even twitch. He kept walking past the kitchen and into the recreational room, where the crew could sit back and relax when it wasn't their shift on look out or driving; even though that was usually Tsunade or Jiraiya's job. **

**There, sat on one of the cracked and worn down couches, was Sakura. The grey tattered shirt she wore draped from her shoulders down to her wrists on the arms but cut off just at the bottom of her ribcage showing her well toned stomach and smooth, creamy, complexion. Her spandex shorts showing the curves of her body and long sensual legs. Naruto smiled seeing her play with her hair in its ponytail and biting at her lip staring at the text book in front of her.**

**Naruto stepped down the 3 set of stairs and spoke up. "What are you reading, Sakura-chan?" Sakura gasped and jumped slightly before looking over to Naruto and smiling sweetly.**

"**Nothing much, it's just the flight control manual. I'm hoping that Tsuande-shishou will start teaching me how to fly these kinds of crafts. All I can fly so far are little, one man, scouters." Sakura folded the corner of her book before closing it and placing it on the table top opposite her. She turned back to Naruto. "So what did you want?" She asked.**

**Naruto walked up and sat down next to her on the couch and breathed a heavy sigh. "It's...I... I'm just confused. It's hard to get to grips with all this. I mean sure I understand it a little now, but still. I lived a lie for over 18 years and what happened in that time, I just can't let go." Sakura reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder.**

"**Look Naruto. It's always this bad to start off with, everyone goes through it. Hell! Even I did." She stopped took a breath and squeezed his shoulder slightly. "It's getting through this that makes us who we are. You can't try to avoid each obstacle you face in life with excuses. Sometimes you just have to put your head up and charge headfirst and accept what has happened." Sakura stood and picked up her book. "Anyway I have to go. Sasuke-kun asked me to go spar with him in the construct. We could talk about it later if you want?"**

**The name of his rival and team mate made Naruto's mouth bitter, especially when Sakura said it in such a loving way. "Thanks, but no thanks Sakura-chan. I best go see ero-sennin."**

**Sakura nodded slowly. "Alright, well, you can find him in the cockpit." As she reached the door Sakura turned to look back at Naruto slumped on the couch staring at the ground. She opened her mouth to say something but couldn't find any words to say so closed her mouth and walked through the door, not bothering to look back at Naruto's lost face.**

'_Well that was a bust. Doesn't anyone on this ship know how to help me get to grips with this?' _**With a deep breath and a sigh Naruto pushed himself up from the broken down couch and made his way along the metal rat run towards the cockpit. Maybe he would have the answers. He was, after all, his teacher. But Jiraiya never really took anything seriously so how could he help?**

* * *

**Jiraiya and Tsunade both lounged back in the seats. Tsunade pressing a few buttons and pulling a few leavers every so often, as Jiraiya gently steered the ****Nebuchadnezzar through the winding undergrounds of the lost world. **

"**For what it's worth, I'm sorry Tsunade." Jiraiya spoke not once looking in her direction. She turned to him slightly and looked him up and down. "I know seeing the person you think as a son in such a lost and helpless state hurts." He turned to look her in the eyes. "But I care for him too. I trained him for years on end. He's practically like a son to me too Tsunade. It may not be any consolation, but I'll help him through this." He paused to look back at the tunnels in front of him and gave a small laugh. "Hell I bet he doesn't even need me to do that. The kids too head strong."**

**Just as he had finished speaking the hatch on the floor to the cockpit opened up and a blonde haired head popped up. "Hey Obaa-chan. Hey Ero-sennin." Both looked back to see Naruto just finishing his climb and making his way towards them.**

"**Hey Naruto. We were just talking about you." He looked over to Tsunade who gave a wan smile. Jiraiya shifted his eyes back to Naruto and his smile dropped. "Everything ok brat?" Naruto's face told him the answer. His bloodshot eyes showed he hadn't slept in a while, his skin much paler than his usual tanned complexion. The worst was his smile, or lack of, his face not even showing a hint of happiness.**

**Naruto looked up to Jiraiya. "I was just wondering if maybe we could talk a little." He shot a quick glance to Tsunade. "Alone...please." Tsunade stood and began to walk to the still open hatch. As she passed Naruto she placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and offered a little sincere smile before leaving and closing the small circular door behind her.**

**Jiraiya offered Tsunade's seat up front next to him. "So what's been troubling you? We can talk about anything." He turned to look back at the maze like network of tunnels.**

**Naruto gladly took the seat and looked out through the three large windows. "So this is part of the real world then?" he asked.**

"**Yeah. These are the old abandoned sewers. Connecting to nearly everywhere, they span for miles below the surface and even lower. Zion at the very heart." He spoke this with a smile. Thinking of all the times he had been there. "You know there are some people there who really want to meet you again. They'll be really glad to see you and I'm sure you'd be happy to meet them"**

**Naruto just looked down before looking back up at the metal meshed tunnels of scrap. "I've been meaning to ask. What is Zion? You guys have talked about it a little but haven't really told me anything." Jiraiya simply laughed.**

"**It's the last city Naruto. All the freed people, that we know about so far, living in one giant city. There are people from all over, from Water country to Wind country. Sure we don't look like we work well together in the Matrix but in Zion we work towards a common enemy that threatens to use us as simple things and soon to wipe us off the face of the earth. We even have three Kage's who each have a space on the council. The Hokage, Raikage and Kazekage." The last one caught Naruto's attention, his head snapping up to look at Jiraiya.**

**Naruto knew of the last Kage. His friend Gaara who he had helped so many years ago. "Gaara's free too?"**

**Jiraiya just chortled. "Indeed he is. He's in charge of our defensive barriers too. Each member of the council has also another responsibility in Zion to help it work. A representative from each country being on the council." **

**Naruto furrowed his brows. "So who's the Hokage?"**

"**Ahhh so he's figured it out." Jiraiya said with a grin. "Knew you couldn't be that stupid." He chortled again. "Best I think that you wait for that news. To see it with your own eyes will be much better."**

**Naruto again looked back to the underground outside. He was silent for a while, the beeps of the control panel where the only sound. He spoke up again after several breaths. "Jiraiya-sensei." Those first few words caught the old sannin off guard. "How did you come to terms with this?"**

**The small question held a big answer for Jiraiya. "It wasn't easy." He sighed. "Infact it was one of the most hardest times of my life. For you, it's probably heart wrenching. I'm not going to try and understand what you're going through because I never could, but you have to understand that we all had to deal with it and we're better of because of it."**

**Naruto simply looked dejected. "That's just what Sakura-chan said."**

**Jiraiya just cocked an eyebrow and scoffed. "Naruto. All I can really say in justice is that everyone on this ship, every member of this crew thinks you're an amazing person in one way or another. I'm proud of you for that. As proud as any other student can be of his teacher. The reason for that is because you have something that no one else has."**

"**The kyuubi?" Naruto asked.**

"**No you idiot." Jiraiya said with a hint of a laugh. "It's your belief and your utter determination to see something to the end. Not forgetting kind heart and resourcefulness." Jiraiya and Naruto stared into each others eyes. "You're like a son to me Naruto and I wouldn't trade anything in the world, not even a day in the hot springs with a naked Tsunade for you. You're an amazing ninja in the matrix, but with my help and the truth before your eyes I'll make you one of the . The greatest ninja there ever will be."**

**Those words touch Naruto. Jiraiya may not understand but he believed in him as a person and admired him. It was all he ever asked for. Before he could speak his gratitude a flashing red light and a shrill beeping noise came from the control board. "I DIDN'T TOUCH ANYTHING!" An automatic response he couldn't shake off.**

**Jiraiya flicked a few switches. "Of course you didn't, that's the radar. Look's like we got squidies coming in." He pressed on a button and spoke into a microphone. His voice reverberating around the ship. "Everyone to your stations we got squidies inbound."**

**Naruto listened to the hustle and bustle of the crew running about the ship. The hatch opening up for a worried looking Tsunade and Sakura, who quickly took their positions. Tsunade picking Naruto out of her seat and quickly pressing a few buttons and switches. Jiraiya spoke up again. "Alright we're running silent. All systems close down and charge EMP."**

**Naruto stood still and looked to Jiraiya after he had finished speaking. "Squidies? EMP?"**

**Sakura was the one to answer he questions. Not taking a moment to look away from her screen. "Squidies are what we call one of the types of robots that scout and hunt through the tunnels. The EMP is an electro-magnetic pulse. A shockwave of electricity that blows everything mechanical within its range, our only defence against them."**

**Naruto nodded understand slightly. A voice came back over the tannoy system. "EMP charged and ready." It was Shizune and she sounded slightly shaky.**

**Jiraiya again spoke for the last time. "Alright everyone radio silence commencing, Keep your voices and breathing low." He turned to regard Naruto. "That means you too."**

**Naruto was about to voice his opinions but thought better of it. Silence was all he heard. No one dared to speak even a whisper. Next came a slight whirring sound as a small floating object seemed to come into view, tentacle like things drifting behind it like liquid metal. They gradually took more shape as they began to get closer. The sound of leather creaking was heard as Jiraiya and Tsunade both dug their hands into the seats. Finally Naruto could see the 'Squidies'. Every detail they were so close. The burning red eyes of light, the cold metal flow of their bodies. Naruto almost shivered but fear gripped him to much to move. Suddenly it turned to look straight at him, a tentacle arm coming forward and with a snap and sound of metal against metal a disk appeared at the end of the arm. It continued to stare before closing the disk and bobbing away along with another two. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.**

* * *

**Naruto once again found himself back where he had started. Lying in his room on his bed. **_'That thing. That machine. It knew I was there..... I could see it. It's coming back. The numbers are coming back'_**. His thoughts were interrupted as his door creaked open again, Jiraiya stood in the doorway. "Yo brat. Time to do something. I think this could help you come to grips with how to be come one of the greatest. From now on we train and learn the old way until you're finally ready. Meet me in the program room."**

**Naruto groggily stood up and began his walk to the program room. He was greeted by Jiraiya's body led still on a seat waiting, the coaxial already placed into the plug at the back of his neck. Shizune walked up to him and took him to a seat nearby. "He said he just wanted you and him so I'll just be plugging you in before I go." She noticed the blank expression on his face and gave him a small but warm hug. "You'll be fine. Just remember. Free your mind." She said the last bit with a small laugh. "Ready?" Naruto had just nodded his head before he felt himself sucked away and into the program.**

**Naruto opened his eyes to find himself stood upon one of the highest buildings he has ever seen. 70 metres to his left was another building the same height. Around him was nothing, but grass and field. "Welcome Naruto to the jump program." He spun around to find Jiraiya in his usual red and green outfit. The long white hair blowing in the violent breeze. "This program is designed to put you under extreme pressure and force you to succeed. If you don't...well lets just say it's a very, very long way down." **

**Naruto dared to venture towards the end slightly and looked down. Jiraiya was lying slightly. It was a much longer drop than he had said; Naruto quickly scampered from the edge and to the safety of the middle of the building top. **

**Jiraiya laughed. "Scared of height Naruto?" He laughed harder at the little puckered face of Naruto. "The object of this program is to make it to the other building by simply jumping."**

**Naruto looked over to the other building that seemed very far away. "But ero-sennin, the furthest jump I've made was only about 50 metres. How can I make that?"**

**Jiraiya turned to face the opposite building. "It isn't about using chakra. This time it's about freeing your mind. When you do that truly, you have full control. Nothing is impossible then." He looked to Naruto deadly serious. "Nothing." He charged forward at incredible speed towards the edge. Just as he reached it he pushed off launching himself way off into the air, soaring like and eagle before slowly descending landing onto the other building with ease. Cracking some of the stone underneath his pressure. Naruto Stared in awe, throughout the entire thing he had sensed no chakra what so ever coming of his sensei. It was all done naturally. **

**He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. **_'I can do this. I won't be held back. I am Uzumaki Naruto-'_** He twisted and pushed forward, the burst of speed was amazing, none of it with the use of chakra. His eyes shot open, only a few steps from the ledge. **_'-and nothing is impossible to me!'_

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	4. Set your eyes to Zion

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**The Matrix: Shinobi**

**Chapter 4: Set Your Eyes To Zion **

**By Forger**

"You do know that if Jiraiya wakes up now he's going to be really pissed about this." Tsunade spoke. Eyes still glued to the monitor along with another 3 pairs with her own, the final pair looked on from afar watching with a crude smirk upon his face .

Kakashi looked over to her for a split second before returning to the screen. "Care to place another wager?"

Tsunade smiled slightly. "Remember. I won the last one. Naruto's a lucky charm in my bets. She laughed softly. "He's going to make it. I'm sure of it." Kakashi's shocked face was all the questioning she needed. "Most surprising ninja, don't forget that Kakashi. All you do is put a little faith in the boy."

The other faces only listened with half an ear. Some, just staring at the readings flowing off the boy who approached the edge of the building at a break neck speed. "Think he's any faster than Jiraiya?" The dark, short haired programmer asked pulling up other records and comparing both. The record, being the fastest movement of Jiraiya in all the time of him being free. "It says here that he reached almost 70mph. Naruto's only getting about 40 right now." She bit her lip.

Tsunade smiled again. _'O ye of little faith'_ She thought absentmindedly and made her observations apparent. "You do know that Jiraiya gained momentum because he had a larger distance to cover? Naruto simply did that from standing."

* * *

Naruto Charged at the ledge. The wind, or if there it really was any wind, whipped at his face. His vision blurring and zoning into a twisting tunnel, he seemed to have stopped in mid stride. The cold sweat on his brow flowed through the creases of his frown before falling down along his nose. _'I have to see it again. I have to know I'm free. I won't let them all down.'_ He pushed forward, the heavy, water like air pulsed around him, numbers and symbols began to seep from the floor. Electric green currents followed them. It was all so clear. _'Faster... I have to be faster!'_ Again the thick air pulsed as he pushed on. He could feel every fibre in his being and he understood that they were all lies. He had no limitation, no breaking point, no impossibilities. He was Uzumaki Naruto.

* * *

Kakashi's face didn't seem to change, even when Naruto's statistics went ballistic. "It's a fluke. There's no way that Naruto can make the jump. No one's ever made the jump on their first go." He looked around the gathered people to see no encouragement from any. They all just stared on dumbstruck. "Come on people. He may pull tricks out of his ass but this is one thing that no one can do on their first attempt." Tsunade just scoffed and smiled in her knowing ways.

* * *

Only 3 where between Naruto and the ledge, but everything still moved at a snails pace for him.

_'My dream for Hokage may be destroyed-'_

2 steps

_'But I have people who recognise me and accept me-'_

1 step

_'I'll just make new dreams-'_

Naruto launched of into the air. Dust and loose rocks were blown away as he burst into the air.

_'Dattebayo!'_

Naruto didn't just jump, he didn't just arc through the air. No. To Jiraiya it looked as if Naruto was flying over towards him. His blonde spikes wavering and swaying with the wind. Naruto's eyes closed in bliss, he was so carefree soaring through the air. _'I was right about the kid... He is the one.'_ His face cracked into a smile and he did his usual dance inside his head for being right. It never got boring.

Naruto slowly opened his eyes and gasped finding himself just reaching the highest point of his leap of faith. He felt his body begin to descend towards Jiraiya. He came down hard and fast, the wind whistling in his ears. He braced his feet for the landing, ready to take a very large amount of impact. He made contact and crouched, the force of his land cracking the concrete beneath him and sending out a bubble of air that blasted out making Jiraiya's long white hair flutter behind him. Jiraiya laughed gently. "Well done Naruto. If there was a medal for doing that then I'd give it to you right now." He watched as Naruto straightened himself only to see his silly, shit eating grin that he got when he accomplished something.

"Thanks ero-sennin. But what did I do?" Naruto rubbed the back of his head, eyes closed, and grin still glowing.

Jiraiya's laugh increased. "Why Naruto, you have just done what no one has ever done. You made the jump on the first try. Not even I could do that, or even Tsunade for that matter. Congratulations."

Naruto stopped and blanched. "I did it. I'm the first person to make their first jump?" Naruto didn't need the answer. He was just confirming what he had heard. "YES! DATTEBAYO! SUCK ON THAT ON TEME!" Out in the real world a small tick developed on a sharingan virus infected, black haired, young man.

Jiraiya looked upwards. "Hey, Shizune! Load it up will you?" He shouted.

Naruto stood only a little away from him, kicking and punching, whilst flipping around in whacky aerial assaults. Naruto ceased his little show and dance to question Jiraiya. "Huh? What are you talking about ero-sennin?" He turned and pointed across to the other building. The vast distance between the two buildings was truly immense. Naruto starred out towards that spot and stopped. _'I did that. I made that jump?'_ Still he stared. There is no denying it. _'I will always be different. I wonder, will they hate me or love me?'_

"Yo, Naruto." Naruto turned away from the spot and looked to Jiraiya, blinking as he turned his head. In that one instant the scenery changed to a familiar one he had visited before. The dojo. Last time he was here Jiraiya beat him around like an old wash rag and then some, but Naruto smiled all the same. That was then, this was now. _'I don't care I've been through hell and back.'_ Behind Naruto's eyes Jiraiya saw a flame, no not a flame, but and inferno. It burnt with such intensity he fought to keep the stare on his face. _'I'm learning faster than ever because this time I know I can handle everything. You were afraid of what it could do to me, but I'm stronger than that Jiraiya-sama.'_

Naruto closed his eyes and sighed sliding his feet into a steady even stance, arms held out both to the front and the back. Jiraiya stared into the deep blue eyes of his pupil, whilst carefully examining his stance. _'He isn't moving the cocky brat. But I know your stance and I know the flaw, you display it to easily Naruto.'_ Jiraiya barely got into his stance before launching forward delivering a right kick towards Naruto's back. The kick blocked into a stalemate with Naruto's left arm, Jiraiya didn't hesitate but simply spun around a metre from Naruto's back, his own back facing it. _'Now Naruto, I must once again prove I am right. But I will train you.'_ He smirked and sprang up into the air back flipping, aiming again his right foot, this time going for Naruto's face.

_'Not this time old man'_ Naruto slowly slipped back planting his feet steadily in the ground, bending to and amazing extreme just at the perfect time for Jiraiya's foot to sale above carelessly. Jiraiya's eyes shot open having not felt the impact of either a face or a block, both of which he thought the boy would do. In his second flip to land on his feet correctly he noticed Naruto's body, bent horizontally below him. Naruto's eyes were closed and a smile was on his face. Jiraiya was to lately committed to do anything against what the boy had in store. Naruto quickly flipped over from his position, crouching down, his feet crunched into the dojo mats. With a shout he powered forward nailing Jiraiya with his head, Jiraiya's stomach collapsing around it. Then the full force hit him, sending him flying backwards into, and through, a support beam. Naruto held his head. "How's that for freeing my mind Ero-sennin?" He laughed as he finished. Taking his stance he quickly caught Jiraiya's arm before twisting it behind the old mans back, the flash of a kunai and Jiraiya poofed away in smoke. Another flash but this time Naruto was the one to vanish in smoke leaving a bewildered Jiraiya, who was quickly swept from underneath and sent flying with a kick to the ribs. Naruto lay on the floor his foot still in the exact spot he hit Jiraiya.

"Katon: Housenka no jutsu!" The blasts of fire raced at Naruto who skilfully navigated his way around each one, not even a lick of flame touching his clothes, he clapped his hands against the floor.

"Doton: Doruki Gaeshi no jutsu." Walls of earth popped up like dominoes in front of Naruto, nearly 10 walls stood between Naruto and Jiraiya. The white haired sannin gasped and hopped backwards expecting more, but no more walls shot up. Instead the noise of crumbling earth and a shout of "Kaze no yaiba!" sounded. A great blade of air blasted from the last wall and came straight at Jiraiya, who dived to the side to avoid it, the edge of the jutsu however, scratching his arm. A few droplets of blood seeped out but it was a minor wound, Jiraiya could easily work around it.

Naruto's barrage of kicks and punches set Jiraiya off balance and he was soon overwhelmed and forced into a quick retreat, which he accomplished with a few short jumps. "So you can fight Naruto." Jiraiya said as he watched the blonde boy slip into a different stance. ⌠Alright, let's do this. "Katon: Karyuu Endan no jutsu." The resulting blast of dragon shaped fire scorched the mattresses as the flames shot for Naruto.  
In response Naruto shouted. "Suiton: Suiryuudan no jutsu."The Water dragon appearing, as if from thin air, in front of Naruto.

* * *

"My god it's amazing he made the jump and now he's extracting water from the air without even thinking about it." Tsunade stood stunned staring at the screen with as much intensity as all the others gathered around it. "He truly is starting to free his mind let's just hope that it continues at this rate when we reach Zion." Some nodded, others were still to dumb struck to take their eyes off the monitor. "Unless, of course, if **he** gets involved with things... the one person we shouldn't have freed."

* * *

Steam exploded outwards from the collision of the two dragon jutsu's. Naruto looked from left to right then up. Nothing. He jumped away from the spot he was just at as a pair of hands grew from the earth and tried to grab hold of ankles that were not there anymore. Jiraiya quickly retreated back into the ground, Naruto meanwhile was searching through the mist hoping to maybe find something to tell him where Jiraiya would strike from next. The fist connecting with the back of his head was the only one he found and it was far to late to react to that. He spun in midair and landed gracefully back on his feet before running off at break neck speeds, zig zaging to keep the old pervert on his toes. He stopped in his tracks and quickly pulled out a shuriken "Shuriken: Kage Bunshin no jutsu." Thousands of razor sharp stars flew into the mist. Then Naruto smelt more blood, he had hit Jiraiya now was the time to capitalise. He charged forward, he was close he could taste it.

"RASENGAN!" The blue ball of chakra ripped right through Jiraiya, his body turning brown before slopping to the ground in a pile of mud. "Shit!" Naruto exclaimed.

"RASENGAN!" Another blue ball of swirling energy came flying from the mist this time held in Jiraiya's hand. Just as it made contact with Naruto it burst into a plume of smoke. He glanced over his back just in time to see one of the shuriken Naruto had used materialise as Naruto himself. A Rasengan quickly charged in both Naruto's and Jiraiya's right hand. Naruto ground his teeth, he pounced upon Jiraiya like a panther going for its kill; skill, grace and power in its true form. Jiraiya turned swinging the charged Rasengan, hoping the momentum of his rotation would be able to put extra power into it.

"RASENGAN!"

"RASENGAN!"

The resulting blast threw both opponents away crashing them through support beams and paper walls. The amount of energy released shattering other support beams and obliterating most of the dojo. Within only a second it was renewed and in the centre of the new dojo laid both Naruto and Jiraiya. Equally exhausted to an extent that they could not stand, instead they looked over to one another and smiled, Naruto letting a laugh escape his carefree smile.

Jiraiya took a deep breath and spoke. "Shizune, we need out of here. I think we both should get a well deserved rest." He smiled back at his student who still hadn't let the grin fall. "And next time I ask for no one else to watch, I expect it."

* * *

Naruto opened his eyes, feeling the coaxial line slip from the back of his neck like a leech. He could barely move his muscles they were that exerted; luckily Tsunade was there to pick him up and began to carry him off to his cabin. Before she had even got him out of the chair he was asleep, as they reached the stairs he also began to drool on her shoulder but she'd forgive him this once...maybe.

* * *

"Rise and Shine." Jiraiya's voice called to him as he opened his eyelids. The sound of the rusty hinged door creaking in the background as Jiraiya swung it closed. "We have something important to do Naruto. We have to go back into the matrix to see someone. An old friend really." He picked up the set of new rags for Naruto, again no boots. "Then again, you don't have to go see her Naruto. It's your choice."

Naruto swiped the sleep from around his eyes before taking the offered bundle. "Might as well ero-sennin." He proceeded then to throw on his clothes and follow after Jiraiya up to the link room. Just as they were climbing up to the hatch that would let them in Jiraiya paused. The white haired man glanced over his shoulder. "I'm proud of you Naruto. You were amazingly powerful yesterday in our fight. But don't get cocky, the Akatsuki are still stronger and faster than us. I guess we can explain more whilst we're there." He turned away with a smile on his face. "I think your really going to like meeting this one." The usual scene played out with Shizune and Sakura quickly setting up the chairs and Sasuke finding a port in which he could safely get them into the matrix. This time however, both Kakashi and Tsunade were waiting in their respective chairs ready to be plugged in.

"Yo Naruto. So you've decided to come? Good." Kakashi stated lazing back into his chair.

Tsunade scoffed next to him. "So now we're going to have to stay a bit longer I guess." She looked over to Jiraiya. "You sure he's ready for this?" The legendary sannin of the toads simply nodded his head and stepped off towards his seat, Naruto following him into the empty chair next to him.

Shizune quickly tapped a few keys in-front of her. "Alright we're ready in 3...2...1..."

* * *

Naruto opened his eyes to find himself stood in the middle of a clearing. The shin high grass blowing gently with the untamed breeze, the gigantic pine tree's skirted the whole way around the grass and seemed to go on forever the deeper he looked into the forest. A hand planted itself on his shoulder; he followed it with his line of sight until he reached Jiraiya's face. "Remember, Naruto, this isn't what you think it is." He turned Naruto to face both himself, Tsunade and Kakashi. "First thing's first. Now we're here and you're with us you can call us by our names. I go by the name Hermit. Tsunade here is Fist and Kakashi is Scarecrow. We've also given you a name. You're Glitch. It's only fitting seeing as how we found you in one." He laughed at his own little pun. Nobody really seemed to catch on.

After a nonchalant shrug, aimed at Tsunade and Kakashi, Naruto set off after Jiraiya. "Ero-senin, who are we actually going to see? You didn't say anything about them." He caught a quick glimpse of a smile on Jiraiya's face. "Come on Hermit! You can tell me!"

Jiraiya just laughed and smiled some more. "Naruto," He began. "The person we're going to see is very important to me, Fist and Scarecrow. She has been there since the beginning, helping us through the war. It may always not be the same person. Now come on, we need to get there as soon as possible." Reaching the edge of the clearing and stepping into the thick forest, all 4 figures leapt up onto the branches and raced off. Naruto was easily able to keep up this time, though he found the concentration of working around the matrix to be very tiring. After nearly half an hour of ricocheting from branch to branch the platoon of four landed in another clearing this one much smaller. There was just enough space for the simple 1 floor house to look quaint and fit in perfectly. The four jumped down from their perches onto the short wavering grass and started on the way to the door.

Jiraiya stopped only a few steps away from the door and turned to face the little blonde saviour. "Naruto, the person you are about to meet is known as the Oracle. She has been with us for many years and has helped us in our greatest hours of need. You must show her respect." He paused, staring down Naruto. "She will tell you things, but remember Naruto that she will only show you a way, you are the one that must walk it." He stopped again; to smile this time. "Much like me. Although I can only show you the door Naruto, you're the one who must walk through it."

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